Cleaner&#39;s garment sizing form



Feb. 13, 1940. w, R FRENTZEL 2,189,789

CLEANERS GARMENT SIZING FORM Filed April 3, 1937 3 Sheets-Shea?l l nventor waumurh Rremzel Gttorneg Feb. 13, 1940.

w. R. FRENTZEL CLEANER S GARMENT S IZ ING FORM Filed April 5, 1937. 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wallmuh R. Frnzel l Gttrneg Patented Feb. y1.3, 1.940 A- i y y `291899789 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 's l g v l 2,189,789 p g y CLEANERS GARMENT slzlivol FORM;

. Wallmukth R. Frentzel, ohehalis, Wash. Application April 3, 1937, Serial No. 134,829

- 7 claims.' (01.' 22a- 70) The cleaning of dresses, skirts, jackets or other Nor can it be said "that there is an average figure garments of certain shrinkable or fragile mateinsofar as length goes, andthe spacing of these rials, especially those of knitmaterials, and of measurement zones,nor that thereis any relacertain types of crepe materials, produces a great tions'hip `between the circumferential measure- 5 deal of controversy between the cleaner and his ment at such zones and the height ofthe figure `6- customers, by reason of the fact that such mater the spacing of such zones. A woman may be 5 rials tend to shrink, and must be-resized or feet 3 inches tall, and yet have-a bust measure-l stretched by the lcleaner. The shrinking is a mentof 38, or may beshort'waisted, so that the ynatural `and unavoidable result of' treatment of zone of bust measurement lisextremely close to 1uy Athe garment during the cleaning process, accomthe zone of waist measurement. A'Woman may be 10 panied sometimes and aggravated by the removal 5 feet l0 inches tall, and yet have aibust measureof sizing material during the cleaning,` and as a ment 0f 33, and this tall Woman may he @X-` necessary result thereof. The cleaner, forced to traldhallygShOlt WaiSte-f the necessity of stretchingv rthe garment, some As aresult of these variations of individual fig- 16 times injures the fabric thereof permanently, this ures the best the cleaner can dogwith the methods 15 occurring .in large measure because the stretching and formsheretofore availableis -to try to restore is done only between selected points, laterally and the garment by lateral and longitudinal Stretch-vv longitudinally, and not throughout any considering, by hand, t0 a Chart 0I' t0"-maSuI'ementS in the able area, nor radially and uniformly throughout. flatthat correspond to the original flat measure- 20 Some materials, tend to stretch or bag in spots` ments, orto put it upon a figure which is not 20 whenicleaned, and theselmust be shrunk in dryadjustable, but which is sized `to accommodatey ing, uniformly and carefully, to bring them back the so-called yaverage figure, and which in par-` to proper size. Pile fabrics, as velvet, must be ticular is not adjustable lengthwise of the figure dried and sized in such manner that the pile is t0 acommodatevvariations infthe SDaCng Of the not iiattened,A vbut stands up'uniformly all over.v Several' Zones ofr measurement.'l He is helpleSS 25 Furthermore, the cleaner must rely on flat measkWhen'he must shrinksJ garment, especially in a u rement of the garment, taken before cleaning, local area. `The result may be, and frequently is, to which measurement it is stretched after cleana garment whichdoes not fit as originally toI the ing,fwni1e1yingflatupona tab1e,orwni1e mounted wearer, Which maybe bulsed too much at one 1 upon flat forms which may be expandedin'various point and Astretched too little at another point, 30* ways. While there are forms of generally human which may have an uneven hem, and which, to a shape'whereon a garment may be placed while it critical customer, is far from satisfactory. is drying or being otherwise operated upon inthe It is a primariT object of this invention to DIOfcleaning process, many such forms come in various vide a'form for'the use of cleaners in sizing garfixed sizes, and those which 'are adjustable are ments which may be adjusted individually at the 35 not adjustable indifferent amounts in different several critical zones'of measurement, that is'to directions at different points, nor so adjustable say, in a. circumferential direction, and which may differentially and simultaneously, nor so adjustbe adjusted yvertically to vary the spacing of these able in selected and variable zones vertically. zones of measurementsA and in which, in addition,

40 Some forms of the flat type have beenproposed, the expansionv in the different zones is -socon- 40 which have limited capability for adjustment, but trolled as to expand the garment in the part of theseare not suitable to the proper drying of the that zone which'requires expansion tofit. apargarment after cleaning, or to the application of a ticular gure and which is expanded less in that sizing material, if required. zone to fit other parts-of the figure, but which,r

Cleaners heretofore have had to rely upon a over the wholey area of the rgar1nent,stretches all 45 ction designated as the average human. fig-ure,` parts substantially uniformly, without undue conand have attempted to size and conform garments centration of the stretching force at any one to an average figure of a` given size. Actually point.

there is no average human iigure. Each figure In such forms as are adjustable, usually of ,-,U individually different from other figures. It can-v the i'lat type, the-adjustment accomplishes 50 not be said that a figure having a bustmeas'urestretching only by pulling the garment laterally,

rment of SGWill necessarily have a waist measurethat is, from one side seam to another, and this ment of 30, or `a hip measurement `of 4Z. Such will not provideadequate-.fullness over the hips individual measurements in circumferential zones for many figures, and inattempting toadjust the 55r about the figure vary Withdilferent individuals. garment to the wearer it will be found that it 5s.

hangs crookedly because all the stretching has been in a lateral direction. It is therefore an object of this invention to devise a form for such use which will provide substantially radial stretching at all points, and in such proportion as to make the garment hang straight upon the wearer.

In the flat forms referred to, some of which are adjustable, all adjustments must be accomplished either before the garment is placed upon the form, if it is to be adjusted to a definite size (and adjustment cannot be made readily to size after the garment is placed on the form), or else adjustment which is made externally is not to any given size, but merely to external flat measurements, with the result that the sizing of the garment becomes largely a matter of guesswork. It is an object of this invention to provide a form upon which the garment may be placed, and thereafter the form may be adjusted to an exact size, the indication of which and the control for which are readily accessible exteriorly of the form and of the garment thereon.

It is extremely advantageous to dry a dress after it has been properly stretched, or while it is being stretched-and this is frequently accomplished by placing the garment upon a form which is pervious to air, steam or other fluids, and of a size and shape corresponding to the fictional average figure, and then blowing such fluid through the form while the garment is held thereon in distended fashion. but as noted above, such forms are not adjustable to precise size, or at all, nor in individual zones, and it is an object of the present invention to devise a form which is adjustable in individual zones or with respect to the spacing of such zones, or both, and which is also of material which is pervious to the passage of such fluids, and which exposes substantially the entire area of the garment to the uniform action of such fluids. This is especially desirable with velvet, for by so doing the pile may be caused to stand up uniformly, thereby avoiding flattened areas or high lights.

It is a further obiect to provide such a form having the capabilities and characteristics explained, which shall be of simple and comparatively inexpensive construction, durable, adapted to the various conditions and garments to be acted upon (for instance, of metal which cannot absorb dyes nor be corroded by the fluids with which it may come in contact), and suitable to susbtantially universal use of cleaners.

With the above and other objects in mind. as will appear hereafter, my invention comprises the novel form as a whole, and the novel parts thereof, and their combination and arrangement, as shown in the accompanying drawings, described in this specication, and as will be more particularly defined by the claims, which terminate the same.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention embodied in a representative form, it being understood that various changes may be made in the form, character and arrangement of the parts, and in the individual parts themselves, without departing from theA spirit of my invention.

Figure 1 is a general front elevation of the form, parts being broken away to illustrate the interior mechanism, and Figure 2 is a general medial section along a plane from front to rear.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are transverse sections,

taken on the lines 33, 4-4 and 5 5, respectively, of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged section of the control and indicating mechanism, taken on a plane corresponding to that of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a section taken on a plane corresponding to that of Figure 2, and as indicated at l--l of Figure 4, illustrating an expander device.

Figure 8 is an elevation of the control and indicating devices.

Figure 9 is a bottom plan view of certain guide elements used in conjunction with an expander.

Figure l0 is an enlarged elevation of details of the form itself, showing also certain arrangements for expanding the same.

Figure 11 is an elevation, and Figure 12 a section on the line |2-l2 of Figure 11, showing a separate form for attachment to the foundation form to obtain abnormal expansion at a given point.

The form as` a whole is of the general shape of a human form. By this it is not meant to imply that it is formed with a head, arms or separate legs, although the latter, for instance, might be used in sizing pants, such as ski pants, for instance, It is not meant to imply, either,

that the gure must be of a shape to fit within a complete dress, for it may be shaped only to receive only a skirt, or only to receive a jacket, and indeed it may be of a form to nt only within a sleeve, as for instance in resizing a knitted sleeve attached to a leather jacket. The gure, therefore, may take various shapes, conforming in general to the human gure or to that part thereof which is t0 be sized, or conforming to the shape of the garment or part thereof which is to be resized.

Thus if it is to resize a puffed sleeve it may depart considerably from the shape of the human arm. Also it should be borne in mind that two or more such forms, as thus defined, may be combined in the sizing of a complete garment. A sleeve form may be applied at the same time as the skirt and waist are being sized, or at a different time. The principles of the invention, however, will be described with reference to a figure which is of a shape to accommodate a complete dress, from neck tohem, and it will be obvious how such principles can be applied to other forms or uses.

Such a figure, because it must be variable in size, and because it must be largely open for the passage of drying or other operating fluids, is conveniently made up of a series of longitudinal strips l0 and cooperating circumferential strips I2 and I3, and special members such as 22, 32, 42, and 52, constituting an expansible and contractible basket-like figure. Preferably the longitudinal strips l0 are secured iixedly at the neck, as seen in Figure 6, and extend thence downwardly to a point below the hem, where they may be connected by springs i4 to a circumferentially expansible hoop 6. By these or equivalent means the longitudinal members are tensioned, and yet are individually yieldable longitudinally as may be required by circumferential expansion at the different zones represented by the hoops 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

The function of the circumferential hoops I3 is to maintain approximately uniform spacing at the different levels between the longitudinal elements I0. They may be continuous or broken, but if continuous,l as is preferred, their ends are overlapped and are relatively movable, so that each one is circumferentially expansible and contractible, and each is movable somewhat with relation to the longitudinal strips I0. Such expansion and contraction of the hoops I3 -would ordinarily be accomplished by the tendency of the longitudinal velements I0 to move outwardly when acted uponat the zones such as 4, 5 and 6, but means may be provided, if desired or found necessary, to positively expand and contract the hoops I3, for instance, in the manner now to be described relative to the other hoops. j

The waist hoop 4 may be taken as typical in many respects of the hoops 2, 3, 5 and 6, and it is shown in detail in Figure 10. The discontinuous circumferential elements l2 and 42 are preferably connected together in overlapping relationship, as by means of the rivets received in circumferentially disposed slots 4l. They are ofsuch slight thickness that this produces no appreciable break in the smooth surface of the dress. 'Ihe members 42 constitute part-'of an expander. The expander hoops 42 being discontinuous, they may be contracted to the minimum waist measurement for which the gure is designed. These expander hoop elements .42 are simultaneously but differentially moved inwardly and outwardly by suitable means; for instance, they are carried upon the outer ends of links 43, pivoted to the expander hoops, which links, at their inner ends, are connected pivotally at points 44 to a rotatable element 45 in the nature of a cam or lever arm. It will be noted in Figure 4 that the expander element 42 at the front of the figure (at the waist) is carried upon a longer lever arm of the member 45 than the expander elements 42 at the two sides, and lthat the expander element 46 is not connected at all to the member 45, and therefore there is no rearward expansion. Rotation of the element 45 from the position shown in Figure 4 will cause the several links 43 to'move inwardly toward the rod l, which is the center of rotation of the member 45, the links 43 at each side moving by like amounts but considerably less than the distance through which the forwardly extending link 43 moves, As a result of such a differential arrangement the figure at the waist is expanded more greatly in a forward and rearward direction than it is expanded transversely, although there is some expansion transversely in keeping with the expansion forwardly and rearwardly. There is preferably, however, no expansion rearwardly, and the rear or small of the back may be taken as the initial point from which other measurements may be taken, in effect, if not actually.

The other hoops 2, 3, 5, and 6 are similarly expansible and contractible. The hip hoop 5 and the hem hoop may be controlled identically and by the same means, .for this manner a skirt may be made to hang vertically from the hips, the expansion of the hem conforming in all respects to the expansion of the hips. It is not outside the scope of my invention, however, to provide independent means to expand the hem differently from or independently of the hip expander 5. I prefer that each of the hoops 2, 3, 4, and 5 be independently expansible and con` tractible. If an expander be employedv at the shoulders, as indicated at 2U, this may be controlled simultaneously with the neck expander at 2, but by different amounts and in a somewhat different manner. All necessary expansion at the shoulders can be achieved solely by transverse expansion.

The neck expander at 2 comprises the expander elements 22 to which the upper ends of the longitudinal members Il) are connected, upon which act the links 23 corresponding to the links43',

connected at 24 to a rotative element 2,5.` The circumferential hoop at the neck need not be continuous inasmuch as there is seldom any material at the' neck which requires support except at the back of the neck.

Similarly at the bust the expanders 32 are suitably shaped, and are controlled by the links 33, connected at 34 to the rotative element 35. Here the rear element 36 is not expansible.- In the bust hoop 3 the expansion is primarily forwardly and somewhat outwardly, this being controlled by the point of connection of each link 33 to the rotativeelement 35 and the relationship of such point of attachment inward towards or outward from the rod 1.

The hip hoop 5 is shown in Figure 5. Here the expanders 52 are operable by the links 53 connected at 54 to the rotative element 55. At this point the primary expansion is rearwardly, and the expansion transversely, while somewhat less than the expansion rearwardly, is still greater than the expansion forwardly, and this conforms in general to the contour of the human shape in this Zone.v

It will be recognized that all the expander elements 22, 32,r 42, and 52 must be guided for expansion in a radial direction, and that they must be supported against'sagging. To such end I provide suitable guides, indicated as the tubes 8, carried upon the rod 'l and projecting radially, in which are guided telescoping rods 80. The ex- .pander elements, as'42 (see Figure 7) are carried upon the outer ends of the rods 8U, or in some cases (see Figure 9)"are carried., also upon the tubes 8. The tubes 8 adjacent the upright rod 7 are securely supported. Preferably, because it is desired to obtain vertical `adjustment of the several zones, the guides 8 are not secured directly to the rod 1, but upon a collar itl which is adjustablel vertically along the rods, and which f in turn is supported ina yoke 82 carried upon a substantial tube 84 kwhich in eiect forms the backbone of the gure, although it stands upright, not curved, and is suitably supported from a base or stand 85.

ySuch vertical adjustment may be'aocomplished by sliding the yoke 82 lengthwise rofthe backbone 84, and this adjustment carries with it the collar 3l and ally associated parts. The expanders, such as 42, slide relative to the longitudinal members l0, the latter being slotted, as indicated at l1, whereby,` certain rivets l5, received in such slots to hold the longitudinal members lil and circumferential members I2 together and to space apart the'longitudinal members, may slide vertically (see Figure 10). The yoke B2 is held in adjusted position lengthwise of the backbone 34,

which preferably is graduated in inches, by conf'venient means such as the set screw B7. Thus each adjustment of a zone vertically, that is,

`each adjustment of the spacing of adacent zones, is individually accomplished, but this can readily be done beforethe garment is put in place upon the form, and is donerin conformity with measurements of the person whom the dress is to lit, which the cleaner will previously have obtained. v

The rotation of the elements 25, 35, 45, and 55, is ,preferably accomplished from a point cxternally of the form and of the garment supported thereon, so that it may be accomplished ,after thegarment has been put in place upon the figure. To this end I provide a series of tubes-'llandmll Iittingabout; the rodlv Land extending downwardly from a point above the neck of the figure, to engage one or more of the collars 8|, in such a manner that when any given tube or the rod 1 is rotated it will effect the rotation of the connected collar 8|, and thereby effect rotation of the corresponding element, as 45, and the expansion of the corresponding expanders, as 42. Thus by providing a key way in each of the collars 8l, and a key 19 upon the tubes, the collar is rendered capable oi considerable vertical adjustment, within such limits as may be necessary, without affecting the rotative connection between the tube and the collar.

Rotation is conveniently accomplished by providing at the neck a series of rotatable handles or disks 12, 13, 14, and 15. The member 12 may be formed integral with the rotative member which controls the expansion of the neck. The member 13 is connected to the tube 1l which controls expansion of the bust zone at 3. The rotatable control member 14 is connected to the tube 10 which effects expansion of theI waist zone at 4, and the control element 15 is connected to the rod 1 which controls expansion at the hip zone 5 and at the hem 6. The whole is supported in a yoke 16 fixed upon the upper end of the backbone 84, the edge of which, as is shown in Figure 8, cooperates with size indicia placed upon the respective control elements. To prevent the stiffness of the form elements lll and I3 from reversely rotating the control members each one may be held in an adjusted position by suitable means such as the set screws 11.

It will now be apparent that in the use of the form the several expanders are adjustable longitudinally of the gure to achieve the proper spacing between these zones. The waist expander 4 may be xed in position, if desired, and the other expanders adjusted longitudinally with respect to the expander `4, or all may be adjustable, The proper spacing having been achieved, the gure would normally be contracted circumferentially to a size somewhat less than the final size of the garment, which has probably been shrunk to a smaller size than it was originally, and the garment is put in place upon the figure. From measurements previously obtained the several control and operating members 12, 13, 14, and 15 are set to the proper sizes, expanding the gure and the garment upon it, the latter uniformly and radially throughout its area. Because the several expansion zones have been properly adjusted longitudinally, the bulge at the hips or at the bust occurs at the proper point in the garment. Because the sizes circumferentially have been accurately determined and are accurately set, the garment is expanded to just the proper degree-no more and no less. Should a particular individual be of excess size in any particular, separable forms, such as the bust forms 9, shown in Figures 11 and 12, and composed of basket-like elements, may be hung upon the main form at proper locations, hooks 90 being provided for such a purpose. Such a form is indicated in place in the dotted lines of Figure 2. Such forms may be provided in sufcient variety and shape to accommodate any desired expansion at particular points, but would only be required for abnormal human shapes.

With the garment now secured on the figure, the hem line is straightened, and its length measured from the waist, for example, and it is held in place, thus straightened, by any suitable means. To this end I may employ a flexible tape 9|, provided with a multiplicity of points which will 'project into but-not injure the material of the garment, and which may be wrapped around the garment and the gure at the hem line, with its ends pinned or otherwise suitably held in place. This will hold the hem even and at the proper distance below the waist. A similar tape may be employed at other points, as the waist.

Now if the garment is to be dried, a blower B, suitably driven, is supported with its nozzle N directed upwardly beneath the bottom of the gure and into the interior of the garment held thereon. By these or other suitable means a fluid, such as warm air, or steam, is supplied to the interior of the garment, and because the form is entirely of openwork, basket-like in character, and of slight aggregate area, the entire garment is subjected substantially uniformly to the action of such iiuids. The garment may be subjected to various operations while thus held on the form at the proper size. After drying, a sizing substance may be supplied to it, to assist in holding its shape. Afterthese operations are completed the figure may be collapsed and the garment removed therefrom. Because the form is adjustable, both as to spacing of the zones of measurement and as to the circumferential measurements in each zone, and because it can be adjusted to the measurements of any given individual, which will be obtained by the cleaner in advance, it follows that the garment, when completed, must be exactly shaped and sized to the particular individual. Because the stretching is uniform throughout its area there is little likelihood that the material of the garment will be' stretched unduly or injured in any way.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A cleaners garment sizing form comprising a gure formed with exible longitudinal strips and flexible, extensible circumferential strips interengaged therewith, the whole being generally of human shape, the circumferential strips being adjustable longitudinally of the form, and means to expand and contract said circumferential strips in any position of their adjustment simultaneously in substantially all directions, but by diierent amounts in different directions.

2. A cleaners garment sizing form comprising a gure shaped generally to the parts of the human body which are clothed by such garment, means to expand said figure circumferentially and simultaneously in substantially all directions, but by different amounts in different directions, in a selected zone or zones, such as the waist, bust, and hips, and means to vary the spacing, lengthwise of the figure, of one such zone from another.

3. A cleaners garment sizing form comprising a reticulated gure shaped generally to resemble a human shape, means to expand said iigure circumferentially and simultaneously in substantially all directions, but by different amounts in diiferent directions in selected spaced zones, and means to adjust one or more of such expanding means lengthwise of the figure, to vary the spacing of the expansible zones.

4. A cleaners garment sizing form comprising an upright support, an enclosing gure generally of human shape and variable in size, carried by said support, a plurality of means adjustable lengthwise of said support, engageable with the figure at zones of size variation, as the bust, waist, or hips, and by such adjustment varying the spacing of such zones, said means being each simultaneously expansible in substantially all directions, but by diierent amounts in different ing the spacing of such zones, and means disposed externally of the form, and operatively engaged ywith the first means in all adjusted positions' of the latter, to expand such first means, each independently and simultaneously in substantially all directions, but by different amounts in differ- 4ent horizontal directions, to vary the circumferential measurement of the gure in selected` zones, and the amount of its expansion in each direction. l

6. A cleaners garment sizing formcomprising an upright support, an enclosing figure generally of human shape and Avariable in size, carried by saidsupport, a plurality of expanders kdisposed withinth'e gure 'at zones of size variation, as

l `the bust, Waist, or hips, and each including a rotative member, a plurality of rotative indicating and control means carried by said support, adjacent the neck of the'iigure, a plurality of concentric tubes, each one connecting a control means with the rotative member of the corresponding expander, whereby rotation of a control means rotates the connected rotative member of the corresponding expander, to vary the measurement at its zone, in correspondence with the indicator, andy means whereby .each expander and its rotative member may be adjusted length- Wise of its tube,l to vary the spacing of selected zones.

7 A cleaners garment sizing form comprising a figure generally of 'human shape `and variable in size, a rotative cam within the figure, disposed in the general plane of a zone of circumferential expansion, links radiating from and operatively connected. at their inner ends to vsaid cam, and operatively connected at their outer ends to different portions of the gure at pointsangularly spaced about the zone of expansion, the connection between the cam and said links being formed and arranged to accomplish `expansion ofthe 

